April 26, 2019 - June 10, 2019
Ergo Sum: A Crow a Day is an exhibit featuring 365 original works of art by artist Karen Bondarchuk. Ergo Sum: A Crow a Day is originated by the Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin, and focuses on the subject of dementia. Bondarchuk set out to mark the passing of time that her mother – diagnosed with dementia in 2010 – no longer could. Each hand-cut, hand-gessoed panel in this emotionally expressive exhibit represents Bondarchuk’s time remembered with her mother and explores communication and an artist’s relationship to the world. Karen Bondarchuk is a Professor of Art at Western Michigan University. She studied art at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, and The Ohio State University in Columbus. A reception to open Ergo Sum: A Crow a Day at The Brinton Museum takes place on Saturday, April 27, from 3 to 5 PM.
Bondarchuk’s exhibit is especially timely because it underscores an exciting new partnership between The Brinton and Dementia Friendly Wyoming, a program of The Hub on Smith in Sheridan. At the encouragement of the many wonderful people at Dementia Friendly Wyoming, The Brinton Museum staff underwent training in February of this year to become more knowledgeable about persons living with dementia, and to welcome and support this audience. Dementia Care Educator Heather Comstock facilitated this session. The first pilot dementia-friendly gallery tour and art program at The Brinton to be held on April 18 will be led by Brinton Curator of Exhibitions & Education Barbara McNab and artist Sonja Caywood from Dayton (WY).
Karen Bondarchuk will present a Gallery Talk on her exhibition at The Brinton on May 2, at 7 PM. This event is sponsored by the Woodson Art Museum, The Brinton Museum and Dementia Friendly Wyoming, funded in part through a grant by Administration for Community Living. Karen Bondarchuk and Heather Comstock will be at SAGE Community Arts in Sheridan on May 2 at 10 AM to meet with persons caring for someone with dementia. Bondarchuk will be available to take questions about her artistic experience as it relates to the topic of dementia and Heather Comstock will facilitate a discussion about resiliency and finding meaning and hope in “ambiguous loss” while caring for someone living with dementia. Karen Bondarchuk’s Gallery Talk on May 2 at The Brinton is free and open to the public. The SAGE Community Arts program is also free admission.
Ergo Sum: A Crow a Day continues in the S. K. Johnston, Jr. Family Gallery at The Brinton Museum through June 10.
Karen Bondarchuk (b. 1964) is a Professor of Art at Western Michigan University. She studied at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, and The Ohio State University, Columbus.
“The series is simultaneously a marker of my mother’s lost time and a constant and acute reminder of my own days, my life, and an attempt to signal visually the preciousness and individuality of each day.
Karen Bondarchuk
Visit Celebrate The Arts 2019 to learn more about Sheridan Public Arts and to see a complete schedule of events in the Sheridan, WY area.
